Les DeMerle

The Jazz Spirit of Christmas

Origin 82438



So solid, so sweet!
Carol Swanson, christmasreview.com

This new collection of exciting, fresh arrangements on 16 holiday classics includes lush versions of The Christmas Song, and Snowfall featuring Bonnie Eisele plus a hot, wailing clarinet and drum duet on Sleigh Ride featuring Ken Peplowski and Les DeMerle. Among the many colors of this CD are the beautiful and warm Brazilian feels of I'll Be Home For Christmas and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, cookin' bluesy renditions of Winter Wonderland and Merry Christmas Baby, and a down and dirty New Orleans-style Santa Is Near.


Track Listing:

1. Winter Wonderland (4:15)
2. Let It Snow (3:42)
3. The Christmas Song (6:10)
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:47)
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (3:15)
6. The Christmas Waltz (4:29)
7. Santa Baby (5:53)
8. Sleigh Ride (3:01)
9. Baby, It's Cold Outside (4:39)
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (4:26)
11. Santa Claus Is Near (3:04)
12. White Christmas (4:53)
13. Snowfall (5:33)
14. Little Bebop Drummer Boy (3:57)
15. Merry Christmas, Baby (3:11)
16. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (5:52)

Performers:

The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band

Les DeMerle - drums, vocals
Bonnie Eisele - vocals, percussion
Ken Peplowski - tenor saxophone, clarinet
Thomas Snow - piano
Bill McCrossen - bass

Production Info:

Produced by LES DeMERLE and BONNIE EISELE
Co-produced by THOMAS SNOW
Recorded and mixed by STEVE DROWN at The Studio, Portland, ME
Mastered by TOBY MOUNTAIN at Northeastern Digital, Southboro, MA
Album Notes: LES DeMERLE
Editor: BONNIE EISELE
Photo of Les: DAVE BURGHARDT, Island Photo; Photos of Bonnie: JONATHAN BAILEY;
Photo of Les at three: ESTELLE "MICKEY" DeMERLE; Cover photo: BRENDAN BYRNE
Layout & Design: JOHN BISHOP


Reviews of The Jazz Spirit of Christmas

christmasreview.com (Carol Swanson)
So solid, so sweet! The Jazz Spirit of Christmas is classic jazz, through and through! This generous album (well over an hour of music!) will satisfy your every jazz need this holiday season. The dynamic Les DeMerle (drums, vocals) is the moving force behind this project; his wife Bonnie Eisele (vocals, percussion) has been his sizzlin' musical ...

All Music Guide (Adam Greenburg)
Presumably taking advantage of some time off touring, Les DeMerle joins up with a small group for a jazz Christmas album. It's nightclub fare in general, with steady instrumental work from the crew and some solid vocals from Bonnie Eisele, DeMerle's wife. Ken Peplowski takes some very nice classic post-bop solos from time to time, playing off of De ...

Jazz Review (Karl Stober)
Heating up the Yuletide! For most of us we tend to forget the enjoyment and fun we had during the holidays as a child. Les DeMerle and band deliver The Jazz Spirit of Christmas, which ignites that feel good and exuberant attitude we felt back in our childhood holiday memories. A sizzling and vivacious tribute to some of the holiday's classics ex ...



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